Bath or Shower?

30 Dec Bath or Shower?

From health benefits to environmental benefits – which is better for you?

While showers have become increasingly popular over the years thanks to their ease of use and efficiency, the bath still holds a fond place in the hearts and minds of many of us, but which one is better for you? Here we compare the bath vs shower in terms of your health, the environment and your bank balance…

Water Usage

We’ve all likely heard advice over the years regarding showers and how they’re more economical than baths in terms of water usage, but is this actually true? The answer in a nutshell is ‘yes’.

The average bath uses around eighty litres of water, while an eight minute shower (the average time for the average household) will use forty-nine to sixty-two litres depending on the water flow rate. Of course it also depends on how long you shower for. If you’re a five minute wonder, then showers are definitely a winner, but if half an hour of hot showering is your average, then you’re probably better off having a bath.

Water usage winner: Shower!

Skin

While it can be tempting to luxuriate in a hot bubble bath or a steaming hot shower doing either for too long is actually very bad for your skin; but which one is worse? The answer is slightly complicated.

According to dermatologists, sitting in a hot bath is worse for your skin than showering. Showering in hot water still strips the skin of its natural oils, but the skin is exposed to less water in the shower when compared to the bath. There is, however, one advantage a bath has over the shower when it comes to people with skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis – it’s the perfect place to apply treatments. Things like adding oats to running bath water or other GP approved medications can help sooth many skin conditions. The trick is not to have the water too hot and to only stay in the bath for a maximum of ten minutes. It probably sounds like bathing is the winner but this only applies to people with skin conditions. Those who don’t should stick with the shower. This is because we generally take shorter showers than baths, meaning that there’s less time for our skin to dry out!

There have been many recent studies that support the induction of a daily cold shower into individual lives. This is because a cold shower can reduce or prevent depression, heighten energy levels and improve the condition of skin and hair. Showering in cold water is also cheaper!

Skin Winner: A close one, but it has to be shower!

Mental Health

This probably sounds a bit odd but studies have shown that soaking in a long, hot bath or shower actually reduces stress. If you’re a fan of the bath, other benefits you may have noticed include better sleep (if done before bed), a decrease in loneliness and a general feeling of happiness.

As discussed earlier, a cold shower has huge health benefits but even a warm shower does too. Studies show that standing under a stream of hot water can increase Oxytocin (the ‘love’ hormone) levels. Hot water can also lower blood pressure and help rid your body of any bacteria you may have come in contact with. Although most studies looking at the effect of hot water on sleep look at baths, showers have been proven to be just as effective.

Mental Health winner: It’s a tie!

Overall Winner!

And the winner is…the shower!

Practical, environmentally conscious and stylish, it looks like the shower is everyones’ favourite bathroom friend. This doesn’t mean the bath is completely out. There are some beautiful models out there that combine excellent design features with style.

If you want to discuss having a shower or bath installed in your bathroom, why not give us a call today?